Guidance regarding basic Islamic issues that Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa has given at various occasions in his written correspondence and during various MTA programmes is being officially published below for everyone’s benefit
Zaheer Ahmad Khan, Records Department, Private Secretariat, London
Jinn
During a Friday sermon, Hazrat Amirul Momineenaa said:
“The Holy Prophetsa gave a stick to Hazrat Qatadahra bin al-Nu‘man and said, ‘Use this stick to beat and drive out the jinn from your house.’”
Huzooraa was requested for further elaboration on this incident. Huzooraa, in his letter dated 29 August 2019, further elucidated the matter and gave the following reply:
“This particular hadith of the Holy Prophetsa and other such ahadith, in which incidents are mentioned where light became visible to the Holy Prophetsa or his Companions, are in fact part of the miracles of the Holy Prophetsa. Allah the Exalted has shown similar miracles in every era to prove the truthfulness of His prophets. We find such incidents in the lives of the prophets before the Holy Prophetsa and Allah the Exalted has also manifested several such incidents to prove the truthfulness of the Promised Messiahas, the most ardent servant of the Holy Prophetsa.
“As for the beating of jinns or Satan with a stick mentioned in this hadith, it would be utterly absurd to infer from this that jinns can enter the physical human body and that they can be exorcised from it by beating them in that manner.
“In this hadith, jinn refers to a thief or a harmful animal that had sneaked into the house of Hazrat Qatadahra bin al-Nu‘man by taking advantage of the darkness of night. As it is the practice of Allah the Exalted that He grants His prophets the knowledge of the unknown in an extraordinary manner, on that occasion, Allah the Exalted had also informed the Holy Prophetsa beforehand that a thief or a harmful animal had been hiding in Qatadahra bin al-Nu‘man’s house. Therefore, the Holy Prophetsa informed him about the threat and instructed him to beat and drive away the thief or the animal with his stick once he arrives at his house.
“Similarly, other books elaborate on this incident that, when Hazrat Qatadahra bin al-Nu‘man arrived at his house, his family members were all asleep and a hedgehog was hiding in a corner of the house, which he hit with his stick to chase away.”
Insurance
Huzooraa was asked about the Islamic ruling on taking out an insurance policy to benefit from various perks and to cover the cost of any accidental loss in a business. Huzooraa, in his letter dated 11 April 2016, said:
“Only that kind of insurance is permissible where the sum is based on the condition of sharing profit and loss and does not contain any aspect of gambling. If it is only based on profit, it is impermissible as it would be interest-driven.
“Similarly, if a policyholder makes an agreement with a company that he will only receive the savings and will not take any interest on them, then there is no harm in buying such an insurance.”
“On the issue of insurance, the Promised Messiahas said:
سود اور قماربازی کو الگ کر کے دوسرے اقراروں اور ذمہ داریوں کو شریعت نے صحیح قرار دیا ہے۔ قماربازی میں ذمہ داری نہیں ہوتی۔ دنیا کے کاروبار میں ذمہ داری کی ضرورت ہے۔
‘With the exclusion of interest and gambling, the Shariah has permitted other agreements and responsibilities. There is no responsibility in gambling. Responsibility is, however, necessary in worldly trades.’ (Badr, No. 10 , Volume 2, 27 March 1903, p. 76)
“Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra said in a speech:
‘If a company lays the condition that the policyholder and the company will share the profits and losses, then insurance may be permissible.’ (Al Fazl, 7 January 1930)
“In a reply to a letter, Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra dictated:
‘It is not correct that we declare insurance impermissible because it involves interest. At least I do not declare it impermissible on that basis. There are many reasons for its impermissibility.
‘1. One of these is that the insurance business is based on interest. There is a huge difference between something having interest as its foundation and something that involves interest. According to the law of the land, no insurance company is allowed to operate in the country until it purchases securities worth 100,000 from the government. Hence this is not a question of involvement but a question of legal obligation.
‘2. Secondly, insurance is based on the theory of interest. According to the Islamic Shariah, the Islamic theory is that whoever gives a sum to another, it is either through a donation, a trust, a partnership or a loan. [Insurance payments] are not a donation. They are also not a trust because there cannot be any increase or decrease in a trust. They are not based on a partnership because the policy holders are neither responsible for the gains and losses of the company nor do they share any authority in its operation. We can only class it as a loan and it is in fact a loan. This is because insurance companies use these contributions as they wish with complete control over it and they do not hold the policyholders responsible in case of any losses associated with the insurance business. Hence, this is a loan. A loan which results in any profits due to an advance agreement is called interest according to the Islamic Shariah. Therefore, insurance is based on a theory and a principle of interest.
‘3. Thirdly, the principle of insurance nullifies all principles on which Islam aspires to build a society. By fully implementing [the principles of] insurance, the essence of mutual cooperation, empathy and brotherliness disappear from the world.” (Al Fazl, Qadian, 18 September 1934, p. 5)
“According to the laws of some countries, it is compulsory to have insurance. It is permissible to buy such an insurance policy.
“On 25 June 1942, someone asked Hazrat Musleh-e-Maudra the following question:
‘The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has legislated that anyone with a car must insure it. Would such insurance be permissible?’
“Huzoorra replied:
‘It must be noted that this enforcement is not only from the UP government but the Punjab government has ordered it too. Since this insurance policy is bought in accordance with the law and the government has declared it as compulsory, it is permissible, not for one’s personal benefits but rather as obedience to the government.’ (Al Fazl, 4 November 1961, quote from 25 June 1942)
“Majlis-e-Ifta submitted a recommendation to Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIIrh regarding insurance, which Huzoorrh approved on 23 June 1980 and said:
‘According to the edicts of the Promised Messiahas and Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IIra, until agreements are not free of interest and gambling, it is not permissible to buy any kind of insurance policy from insurance companies. These edicts are of a permanent nature and unchangeable. However, one may review from time to time as to what extent insurance companies have rid themselves of the elements of gambling and interest as a result of their changing rules and regulations.
‘Majlis-e-Ifta has taken a closer look at the current methods of insurance companies and has come to conclusion that although it was not possible for any company to fully steer clear of interest in their business dealings due to the global nature of the financial establishments, but now such agreements between companies and policyholders have become possible, which are free of the elements of interest and gambling. Hence, there is no harm in taking out an insurance with this condition that nobody should take any interest from the insurance company on the contributions that they have collected from the policyholder.’” (Register Faisalajaat Majlis-e-Ifta [unpublished], p. 60)
Supplication of fathers
With reference to ahadith books, nazarat islah-o-irshad, Rabwah asked Huzooraa about narrations regarding the acceptance of prayers of a father who supplicates in favour of his own children and supplicates against his children. The narrations and the explanation of their Arabic terms taken from various dictionaries were presented before Huzooraa with the request for guidance as to which of those narrations and translations should be adopted.
Huzooraa, in his letter dated 25 February 2015, gave the following reply:
“If we translate it as ‘a father’s supplication for his children’, then the meaning of the hadith becomes clear. Nonetheless, both the ahadith recorded in the books of hadith are correct in their own respect and are a means of guidance for us.
“If you ponder over both ahadith at the same time, it would mean that such a person’s prayer against someone can also be accepted, whose supplication holds the rank of acceptance. Allah the Exalted does not say that He will accept supplications in favour of someone and will reject supplications against someone.
“Considering the position which Allah has granted a father, He also accepts his prayers and hears his invocations against someone. Therefore, in the Holy Quran, Allah the Exalted has specifically said about parents:
وَ قَضٰی رَبُّکَ اَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوۡۤا اِلَّاۤ اِیَّاہُ وَ بِالۡوَالِدَیۡنِ اِحۡسَانًا ؕ اِمَّا یَبۡلُغَنَّ عِنۡدَکَ الۡکِبَرَ اَحَدُہُمَاۤ اَوۡ کِلٰہُمَا فَلَا تَقُلۡ لَّہُمَاۤ اُفٍّ وَّ لَا تَنۡہَرۡہُمَا وَ قُلۡ لَّہُمَا قَوۡلًا کَرِیۡمًا۔ وَ اخۡفِضۡ لَہُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحۡمَۃِ وَ قُلۡ رَّبِّ ارۡحَمۡہُمَا کَمَا رَبَّیٰنِیۡ صَغِیۡرًا
‘Thy Lord has commanded, “Worship none but Him, and show kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, never say unto them any word expressive of disgust nor reproach them, but address them with excellent speech. And lower to them the wing of humility out of tenderness. And say, “My Lord, have mercy on them even as they nourished me in my childhood.”’ (Surah Bani Israil, Ch.17: V.24-25)
“Hence, according to this hadith, the Holy Prophetsa has advised us to take advantage of the father’s prayers and to save ourselves from his curse.”
Seeing God
During a Gulshan-e-Waqf-e-Nau class for Lajna and Nasirat, held in Melbourne, Australia on 12 October 2013, a girl asked Huzooraa why we cannot see Allah the Exalted.
Huzooraa answered with the following:
“Allah the Exalted is the Being Who cannot be seen.”
Whilst addressing the girl, Huzooraa pointed towards the light bulb that was on the ceiling and asked, “You can see that bulb and its light too, right?”
Then Huzooraa pointed towards the table in front of her and asked, “We can see the light falling onto this surface. How did it travel here? Can you see the light moving from up there to here?”
Huzooraa asked the girl again and then explained:
“It is the light of the bulb. The bulb is shining in its place, while light has fallen onto here [the surface of the table]. But there is a distance between both the objects. Should we not be able to see something there too? The light travelled from up there and reached here. Can you see it in the middle?”
Huzooraa asked the girl again. The girl responded that its movements were not visible.
Then Huzooraa replied:
“You cannot see it, correct? Allah the Exalted is even brighter and His light is such that cannot be seen. Yes, Allah’s creations can be seen. Have any of your prayers ever been accepted?”
The girl responded in the affirmative, to which Huzooraa said:
“That is ‘seeing’ Allah the Exalted. Allah the Exalted says in the Holy Quran that there is the Earth, the planets, the universe, all the creations, plants and vegetation … Australia is even known as a very famous place for flora and fauna. Allah the Exalted has created all these things. Observe everything! There is a plant that grows here … It is actually said that if a plant does not have leaves, then … it is chlorophyll from which a plant derives its life. The leaves are playing their own role in this.
“Here, I have also seen such plants that are only a stick and the stem is fulfilling the role of the leaves and on top of it is a large beautiful, colourful kind of flower. So this is also Allah’s creation. Look at everything that Allah has created and pay attention to it. Then, you will see Allah the Exalted right there.”
The role of Waqifat-e-Nau girls after marriage
During a Gulshan-e-Waqf-e-Nau class with Lajna and Nasirat in Melbourne, Australia on 12 October 2013, a member of Lajna Imaillah asked Huzooraa as to how they could perform their roles properly as Waqifat-e-Nau after marriage and assume responsibilities for their household, family and children. Huzooraa gave the following answer:
“To fulfil your role of Waqf-e-Nau properly, you should firstly offer the five obligatory prayers in a proper manner. If you can offer Tahajud prayer, then do so. Study the Holy Quran with its translation. If you have been assigned any work from Lajna, then do it to the best of your ability. Moreover, your greatest responsibility is that you raise your children in a way that they form a bond with Allah the Exalted. Make your husband realise, ‘You are waqf and that it is your duty to undertake your own tarbiyat as well as that of your family and your children and that you need support for this from him.’ This is so because if the father is not playing his role, then the tarbiyat of the children suffers.
“The most important responsibility is the home. This indeed is the source of the greatest reward for you.
“According to a hadith, once a woman came to the Holy Prophetsa and said, ‘Our men go to perform jihad, they earn a living and they give charity. Men perform many such tasks outside that we as women cannot perform within our houses. So will we also get all the reward of jihad and giving charity?’ The Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Yes, because you look after their homes, you raise their children and take care of the homes whilst they are away. You will get just as many blessings, especially considering the virtuous generation that is being raised. Moreover, you also bear it with patience that you send off your husbands so that they can serve the faith.’
“Even if your husband is performing a worldly service and not serving his faith, according to the hadith, those women should still look after their homes. Therefore, the responsibility of Waqf-e-Nau girls is to make the new generation steadfast upon Ahmadiyyat and to guide them to have a bond with Allah the Exalted.”
Islam and terrorism
During a Gulshan-e-Waqf-e-Nau class with Lajna and Nasirat in Sydney, Australia on 7 October 2013, a girl asked Huzooraa as to why people associated Islam with terrorism. Huzooraa replied:
“This is because the majority of the terrorist groups nowadays – be it Al-Qaida, the Taliban, Boko Haram and other new ones that are springing up daily – [claim to be] Muslims. So, people think that perhaps Islam and terrorism are the same thing. We need to dispel this misunderstanding. This is why there is a book in the book stall here entitled World Crisis and the Pathway to Peace. It is a collection of my various lectures that I have been giving to various nations, urging them not to link Islam with terrorism. These are separate things. What they are doing is based on their vested interests. Buy that book and read it.”
Huzooraa then commented on the price of the book before commencing with the answer:
“They are actually sold expensively here. They should sell them for $2. I have heard that they are being sold for $5. They should at least sell them for $2 to Waqf-e-Nau.
“In there, you will find all my different answers to prove that this concept is wrong. Islam has a very beautiful teaching. When Mecca was conquered, the Holy Prophetsa forgave everyone. He even forgave his enemies. The Holy Quran has forbidden tyranny and it teaches that you should not kill any innocent person and that if you kill one person, it is akin to killing all of mankind.
“And who is being killed by these so-called Muslims? They do not kill many Christians; rather, these Muslims are killing other Muslims. Attacks occur daily, be it in Pakistan or in Iraq, where Shiites are being killed, or Shiites are killing Sunnis. The suicide bombings that are happening everywhere, it is Muslims who are dying because of them. An attack on a church where 100-200 died has only just happened recently, but otherwise, they are killing Muslims. They are killing us Ahmadis.
“Consider other places where bomb blasts occur; these are all terrorists who are themselves killing each other, though this is not permissible anywhere. Allah the Almighty has instructed us in the Holy Quran to be very merciful to one another. Yet here they are, killing other Muslims.
“Allah the Exalted says that one who kills an innocent Muslim will be cast into hell. So, they are all becoming the dwellers of hell. There is no resemblance between Islam and terrorism. If you refer to any dictionary, you will see that the word ‘Islam’ means peace. If you watch MTA, and Waqf-e-Nau should certainly watch it, my address from Jalsa Salana UK was about the meaning of Islam and the role of Muslims. Do read that book. It is in English, so you should read it.”